40 Year Canberra Raiders Dream Team: Hooker

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Who is the Canberra Raiders' greatest ever hooker?

Glen Buttriss
3
8%
Josh Hodgson
4
11%
Jay Hoffman
0
No votes
Steve Walters
30
79%
Lincoln Withers
1
3%
Simon Woolford
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 38

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greeneyed
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40 Year Canberra Raiders Dream Team: Hooker

Post by greeneyed »

40 Year Canberra Raiders Dream Team: Hooker

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To help celebrate the Canberra Raiders 40th season, The Greenhouse is conducting a series of polls in the off season to determine The Greenhouse 40 Year Dream Team... the best squad of 17 players in the Canberra Raiders' history.

Since the club's 25th anniversary, we have polled the readers of The Greenhouse on their Raiders Dream Team every five years. This was the team chosen by the fans five years ago, following a season in which the Raiders qualified for a Preliminary Final:



So has the passing of an additional five years made a difference?

In familiar fashion, we're taking it position by position. Players need to have played 40 or more first grade games for Canberra to qualify to be part of each poll. They must also have played 25 games in a particular position for the Raiders to be nominated for that position. Effectively, to qualify, a player must have played at least two good seasons for the club... and at least one season in a particular position. Only the records of a player at the Raiders is taken into consideration. If you'd like to vote for a player not mentioned in the poll, you just have to post the player's name.

To add to the fun, list your top five in order. And we will finish with some polls to determine the top 30 squad of all time.

You have one vote in this poll. Please choose carefully, no re-voting is permitted. If you are reading the site via Tapatalk, please take the time to log into the site directly on your device so you can vote in the poll.

We are continuing with the spine and here are the nominations for hooker:

Glen Buttriss: Hailing from Cootamundra, Glen Buttriss made his first grade debut for the Raiders in the Round 6 clash with the Storm at Canberra Stadium in 2008. He went on to win the club's Rookie of the Year in that season, making 15 appearances. He played in five finals matches in 2008, 2010 and 2012.

Raiders record: 2008-2015, 119 games, seven tries, 28 points
82 games at hooker, one at halfback, 36 off the bench
Five finals games, four at hooker, one at halfback
Raiders Rookie of the Year 2008

Representative record: Nil

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Josh Hodgson: Josh Hodgson played 136 games in Super League for Hull FC and Hull Kingston Rovers - before being recruited to the Raiders for the 2015 season. He was the start of a wave of successful English recruits for the Raiders. Hodgson quickly became one of the leading hookers in the NRL - and at times challenged for the title of the best dummy half in the world. He has regularly represented England and Great Britain from the club. However, in an era largely dominated by Cameron Smith, he has not yet taken a Dally M Hooker of the Year award. Unfortunately, he missed about half of the 2018 and 2020 seasons due ACL injuries. He is just one of two players to wear green in a Grand Final. He was voted by the readers of The Greenhouse into the 35 Year Dream Team on the bench - and at hooker in the Raiders Team of the 2010s.

Raiders record: 2015-2021, 137 games, 14 tries, 56 points
133 games at hooker, one at lock, three off the bench
One grand final, six finals games, all at hooker
Meninga Medal, 2016, shared with Josh Papalii
Canberra Raiders Fans' Choice Player of the Year 2015

Representative record*: 2015-2018 England, 17 games, including four World Cup games
2019 Great Britain Lions, four games
* Excludes representative appearances from other clubs

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Jay Hoffman: Jay Hoffman was an inaugural Raider, and one of the most prominent recruits to the club for 1982. The Brisbane Brothers hooker represented Queensland in three matches in 1979 and 1980 (two against New South Wales and one against Great Britain), and represented Brisbane in 1981. Hoffman was 24 years of age by the time he first played for Canberra. He appeared in the 1984 play off match for the finals against the Rabbitohs. The arrival of a young recruit from Queensland, Steve Walters, saw him pitched into a battle for the No. 12 jersey - and he ended up playing only a couple of games in 1987.

Raiders record: 1982-1987, 111 games, nine tries, 35 points
109 games at hooker, two off the bench
No finals matches
Raiders Clubman of the Year 1983, 1985

Representative record*: Nil
* Excludes representative appearances from other clubs

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Steve Walters: Steve Walters was the prototype of the modern rugby league hooker forward. He joined the Raiders in 1986, from Brisbane Norths. He went on to make five grand final appearances and win three premierships in green. Only he and Mal Meninga have played in five grand finals for the club. He won the Rugby League Week Player of the Year, Raiders Player of the Year and Dally M Hooker of the Year while at the club. He represented both Queensland and Australia multiple times during his time in Canberra. He joined the Cowboys in 1997, and made three Super League appearances for both Australia and Queensland in that year. He joined the Knights in 1999, but retired mid season due to a knee injury. Many commentators thought he was unjustly overlooked in the Team of the Century, which was named in 2008 to celebrate the game's first 100 years. Walters has been voted in at hooker by the readers of The Greenhouse in the 25, 30 and 35 Year Dream Teams. In 2007 he was also voted as the fifth greatest Raider of all time by The Greenhouse members. He was named at hooker in the official greatest ever team on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the club. He was also on the official list of the best 25 players in the club's first 25 years. He has been inducted into both the NRL and Raiders Hall of Fame.

Raiders record: 1986-1996, 228 games, 41 tries, 164 points
221 games at hooker, two at second row, five off the bench
Five grand finals, three premierships, 26 finals matches, all at hooker
Rugby League Week Player of the Year 1993
Dally M Hooker of the Year 1990, 1993, 1995
Raiders Player of the Year 1991
Raiders Best Player 1991
Raiders Most Consistent Player 1993
Fifth most first grade games - 228
NRL Hall of Fame
Canberra Raiders Hall of Fame

Representative record*: 1991-1994 Australia, 17 games, including four World Cup games
1990-1996 Queensland, 14 games
* Excludes representative appearances from other clubs

Lincoln Withers: Canberra born, Lincoln Withers represented the Australian Schoolboys in 1997 from renowned rugby league school, Erindale College. He made his NRL debut in green in 2000 in the Round 14 clash with the Broncos. After playing just four first grade games, he headed to the Wests Tigers, making 46 appearances for the Sydney club between 2001-2003. He also played 25 games for the Dragons in 2004, before returning home and to the Green Machine. He often played at half, but he played most games for the Raiders at hooker. He headed to England after the 2008 season, playing for Welsh club, the Crusaders and then Hull Kingston Rovers.

Raiders record: 2000, 2005-2008, 83 games, 22 tries, 88 points
44 games at hooker, 32 at halfback, seven off the bench
11 finals games, six at hooker, five on the bench
Raiders Coaches Award 2005

Representative record: 2007 Prime Minister's XIII, one game

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Simon Woolford: Born in the regional town of Young, Simon Woolford made his NRL debut with the Raiders in Round 11 of 1994. He went on to captain the club and play well over 200 NRL games in green. He headed to the Dragons in 2007, playing a further 28 first grade games over two seasons. He was voted in at hooker by the readers of The Greenhouse to the Raiders Team of the 2000s. He was also named in the official list of the top 25 Raiders players on the occasion of the club's 25th anniversary - and at hooker in the club's official Team of the Decade 2000-2009.

Raiders record: 1994-2006, 234 games, 35 tries, one goal, 142 points
192 games at hooker, three at halfback, two in the second row, 37 off the bench
11 finals games, six at hooker, five on the bench
Raiders Sponsors Award 2001
Fifth for most first grade games - 234

Representative record: 2002 NSW Country, one game

Note: Luke Priddis does not qualify for nomination, due to insufficient games.
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Matt
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Re: 40 Year Canberra Raiders Dream Team: Hooker

Post by Matt »

It's Boxhead, then Hodgo, then Germ. The others don't count.

Buttriss deserves credit for playing as many games as he did, with many as a #1 hooker, but this also explains a serious lack of success over that period.
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greeneyed
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Re: 40 Year Canberra Raiders Dream Team: Hooker

Post by greeneyed »

I can get to a top four.

1. Steve Walters
2. Josh Hodgson
3. Simon Woolford
4. Jay Hoffman

Why oh why did we lose Luke Priddis.
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Crash Ball
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Re: 40 Year Canberra Raiders Dream Team: Hooker

Post by Crash Ball »

1. Steve Walters
2. Josh Hodgson
3. Simon Woolford

I didn't see Hoffman so after those I'd probably go with one of the bench specialists in Havili or Baptiste.
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Re: 40 Year Canberra Raiders Dream Team: Hooker

Post by Billy Walker »

Boxhead it is - I’d have Wayne Collins ahead of 1 or 2 on that list.
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greeneyed
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Re: 40 Year Canberra Raiders Dream Team: Hooker

Post by greeneyed »

Collins and Baptiste don’t have enough games to qualify. Havili does, but he’s only really been a starting hooker while Hodgson has been injured. He’s really a bench player.
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RedRaider
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Re: 40 Year Canberra Raiders Dream Team: Hooker

Post by RedRaider »

Boxhead, Hodgo, Hoffman then a big gap in talent for mine. The fact Woolford played so many games says more about our poor recruiting imo. Further, that we let go a player like Priddis who went on to win Grand Finals with 2 other sides just adds focus to some poor decision making at the time.
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afgtnk
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Re: 40 Year Canberra Raiders Dream Team: Hooker

Post by afgtnk »

Unfortunately recency bias works against Hodgson here. If he doesn't have the season he had this year, coupled with the fallout with the club, I can see the gap between him and Walters being much closer.
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Botman
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Re: 40 Year Canberra Raiders Dream Team: Hooker

Post by Botman »

Josh Hodgson has been so very awesome. But its Steve Walters, who is imo, the 2nd best hooker of all time.
High bar to clear for Hodgo and there is no shame in coming 2nd to Boxhead.
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BadnMean
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Re: 40 Year Canberra Raiders Dream Team: Hooker

Post by BadnMean »

Yeah I agree. Hodgo was a great hooker for a while. Easy #2 of that era.

Boxhead was #1 of his era. And it was a long one. I still think he'd dominate the position again if her were to play todays game. Thats atg territory.
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Lui_Bon
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Re: 40 Year Canberra Raiders Dream Team: Hooker

Post by Lui_Bon »

Jason Death wins the best name
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Crash Ball
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Re: 40 Year Canberra Raiders Dream Team: Hooker

Post by Crash Ball »

I love Hodgo but it’s not even close. Boxhead was widely considered the best hooker in the games history at retirement, Hodgo was arguably the best for a season and second best for a few of them.
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Re: 40 Year Canberra Raiders Dream Team: Hooker

Post by -PJ- »

Boxhead yesterday, Boxhead today, Boxhead tomorrow.

The best hooker/forward of his time.
3rd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment..Old Faithful
#emptythetank :shock:
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greeneyed
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Re: 40 Year Canberra Raiders Dream Team: Hooker

Post by greeneyed »

-PJ- wrote: November 3, 2021, 9:50 am Boxhead yesterday, Boxhead today, Boxhead tomorrow.

The best hooker/forward of his time.
Only ever surpassed by Cameron Smith.
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Seiffert82
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Re: 40 Year Canberra Raiders Dream Team: Hooker

Post by Seiffert82 »

Clearly Walters.

Of all the positions, it's hard to compare hookers over a long period of time. I feel the role has changed so much in 30 years, regarding scrums, contested rucks, the 5-10 metre rule and split halves.

Ballplaying at lock and fullback comes and goes, whereas the role of the dummy half has completely evolved.

Anyway, Walters was a legend. Given Brandon Smith is effective in that role now, I don't see why Steve Walters wouldn't have killed it in this era either.

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greeneyed
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Re: 40 Year Canberra Raiders Dream Team: Hooker

Post by greeneyed »

Poll declared. All the results so far: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=34903&p=1837945#p1837945
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